BEHIND THE SCENES @ KIDS-TV

A lot of people ask us what it looks like behind-the-scenes doing puppets on TV. I recently unearthed the Official Showtime-produced documentary about our series KIDS-TV featuring lots of backstage scenes. We shot in a studio in Manhattan called MOTHERS that was actually haunted by an Hungarian ghost named Henry. But that's another story. . .

The Flexitoon Puppets were brought to life by Craig Marin, Olga Felgemacher, Jonathan Freeman and Alan Semok with Ken Miele and Sal Denaro.

STUFF THAT MAKES ME SMILE

"It's all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago. . ."

Lesh/Hunter

The SHINING TIME STATION team

as

THE HAT SQUAD!

(Peter Baird, Alan Semok, Jonathan Freeman, Olga, Ken Miele, me)

Smiles with GABRIEL one Summers Day

Marionette Show in Forest Park, Queens

DAD and me, up on our roof, circa '71.

SVAARTA KATTAN (you heard me)

JIMMY STEWART showing puppets he made as a kid.

Kid show host, voice over guy, nice fella, HANK STOHL.

Young, free and easy one Spring day in Brockton, MA.

Art and Mrs Clokey. And a GUMBY storyboard.

Up and coming ventriloquist ALAN SEMOK. I predict big things for him.

Me working on the set of WGBH 21" Classroom Series "ALL ABOUT YOU"

During a break from shooting Shining Time Station, we went to Niagara Falls. Slowly I turned, and there she was. With OLGA on the deck of the MAID OF THE MIST.

KIDS-TV on SHOWTIME

THE FLEXITOON PUPPETS starred in KIDS-TV on SHOWTIME. The series was based upon the perennial classroom news mag WEEKLY READER. Here the puppets run an after-school video club where they go out in the field and report the news.

DJ McCAW (top left: Jonathan Freeman) QUACKER (Olga Felgemacher) BANANA MONKEY (Craig Marin)

OPENING TITLES

In the episode called "HOMELESS", a formerly callous ROBBIE RACOON (Craig) pictured below left with BUDDY BEAR (Alan Semok) discovers what it means to be without a roof over his head. It all takes place during a Dickensian nightmare with the Ghost of a Homeless Child . . .The clip below shows a behind-the-scenes first rehearsal of the song "We're Pretty Lucky," followed by the buy take. Directed by Flexitoon fave Steve Feldman (DJ Kat Show, Shining Time Station).

SOME FUN BEHIND-THE-SCENES SHOTS

Co-Campbell Mike Director also puppeteered. Here he is yanking my arms (not!) Actually, he's about to help a helium balloon achieve lift-off. Sorta what he does. . .
Painting the backdrop for "Neither Here Nor There."

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE: in the Underground TV Studio. Olga 'n me preparing SAM SIMIAN'S SPACE CAPSULE. (Quackerbox supervises from her bird bath).

This is the shot we set (above).
Me and Mike and Doron (DP) and Cousin Mike (SM) at the dwindling storyboards. There's nothing quite like crossing off the boards once we've gotten the shot!
A COUPLE O' HAPPY PUPPENSPIELERS - - OLGA FELGEMACHER & JONATHAN FREEMANALAN SEMOK prepares to enter FOREST 40 TREES for his role as COUNTY CAT.
The Campbell Kid making it a better shot.
ALL PICTURES FROM THE HAMPTOONS & FOREST 40 TREES

"GOIN' UP" - - The Trailer

Our film, "GOIN' UP" is an Official Selection in the KIDS FIRST! FILM FESTIVAL.

Here's the trailer (thanks Mike Campbell!)


Producer.................Dann Linck
Director...................Craig Marin

STARRING

Jonathan Freeman

Olga Felgemacher

Alan Semok

Ken Miele

Craig Marin

ORIGINAL MUSIC PERFORMED BY

The Playground

Xander Van Cerulean